By Paul Uwadima

Copyright leadership

President Bola Tinubu yesterday declared that Nigeria’s prosperity is inseparable from the future of Northern Nigeria.

Represented by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, at the Nigeria Investment and Industrialisation Summit (NNIIS) 2025 in Abuja, organised under the leadership of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Tinubu said his administration is embarking on critical industrialisation projects focused on the region.

He commended NEF’s determination to change the narrative and reposition Northern Nigeria as an innovation and industrial hub.

The summit’s theme, “Unlocking Northern Nigeria’s Mining, Agricultural and Power Potentials (MAP2035),” outlines a 10-year blueprint for transforming the region’s economy.

Tinubu said, “The future of Nigeria’s prosperity is inseparable from that of Northern Nigeria. If we unlock the North’s minerals, we secure a new era of industrial competitiveness. If we unlock the North’s agriculture, we guarantee food security and export leadership. If we unlock the North’s power, we ignite a wave of industrialisation employing millions of Nigerians.

“The North is not just a part of the country; it is the country’s engine. Let us seize this moment together to transform Northern Nigeria into the powerhouse of Nigeria’s prosperity.”

He highlighted key reforms in mining, agriculture, and power, stressing that these sectors remain the backbone of Nigeria’s economy.

According to him, Nigeria recorded GDP growth of 4.23% in the second quarter of 2025, the strongest in a decade outside the COVID rebound period, driven by robust industry, agriculture, and services growth. He added that inflation has begun to ease, foreign reserves have risen, and the Naira has stabilised, attributing the progress to deliberate reforms under his Renewed Hope Agenda.

In his remarks, the summit convener, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, represented by Air Marshal Al’amin Daggash (rtd), stated that the North was once sustained by agriculture and a strong rail network that drove exports.

He stressed that the region, with 75 per cent of Nigeria’s arable land and over 44 solid minerals, could only achieve its full value through modern infrastructure in power, rail, roads, and storage.

He said Northern Nigeria has abundant mineral wealth, fertile land, and vibrant human capital. Still, without modern infrastructure like railways, roads, power, and storage, the full value of those resources cannot be realised.

Government policies must deliver meaningful impacts by demonstrating a deliberate commitment to the mining sector and its related services.

He said, “We are home to over 160 million people, including nearly 90 million youths, Nigeria’s largest demographic bloc. We hold 75% of Nigeria’s arable land, making us the nation’s food basket.

“We are richly endowed with over 44 solid minerals, including gold, lithium, uranium, coal, oil, and gas. Harnessing these resources concerns regional growth, national stability, industrialisation and global competitiveness.”

Additionally, the governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, urged northern leaders to move beyond rhetoric and adopt collaborative action.

He outlined three priorities: security, harmonised investment policies, and power infrastructure.

He further proposed a Northern Nigerian Economic Compact to see the 19 states speak with one voice, establish a single investment window, and co-invest in critical infrastructure such as rail, power, and fibre optics.

Lawal said, “As leaders across the 19 Northern States, we must deepen our collaboration beyond politics. We must integrate our security architectures, share intelligence in real-time, and foster greater community policing to create a secure and predictable environment. A safe North is a bankable North.

“Secondly, we must harmonise and simplify our policies. The current landscape, where investment policies and regulatory frameworks differ and sometimes conflict from one state to another, creates confusion and discourages large-scale, regional investment. We must work towards a ‘One-North’ Investment Policy.

“This would include harmonised land administration, streamlined approvals for mining and agriculture, and uniform tax incentives for strategic sectors. By presenting a united, predictable, and business-friendly front, we become a more attractive destination than any state could be if it were alone.

“In line with the above, I propose that the Northern States Governors Forum constitute a committee of our state investment promotion agencies to draft a unified investment policy and regulatory framework which will be submitted to the NSGF secretariat for review and ratification.”